Indonesia Sets Rules to Ensure
Replanting of Rainforest Trees

By

Timothy Mapes Staff Reporter of The Wall Street Journal

Updated March 3, 2003 12:01 a.m. ET

JAKARTA, Indonesia -- The Forestry Ministry here said pulp and paper companies planning to cut down natural forests in order to create tree plantations must sign notarized commitments to replant the cleared areas or risk losing their operating licenses.

Forestry Minister Muhammad Prakosa, in an interview, said the insistence on replanting commitments was a way for the government to strike a balance between the need to preserve...